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Bruce Affleck
| birth_place = Penticton, British Columbia, Canada | draft = 21st overall | draft_year = 1974 | draft_team = California Seals | career_start = 1974 | career_end = 1984 }} Bruce Affleck (born on May 5, 1954) is a Canadian retired former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) in the 1970s. Currently, he serves as an executive for the St. Louis Blues (the team that he spent most of his playing career with). Playing Career Bruce was drafted in the 2nd round (21st overall) in the 1974 NHL Entry Draft by the California Seals from the University of Denver. He turned pro the following season and spent the first half of the year with the Seals' Central Hockey League farm team in Salt Lake, but he was dealt to the St. Louis Blues (before he ever played a game in California) on January 9, 1975 in exchange for Frank Spring. Bruce finished the season with a 13-game callup to the Blues, recording 2 assists. In the 1975–76 season, he made the Blues' squad full-time and was a huge success as a mobile, puck-moving defender. He played in all 80 of the team's games, recorded 4 goals and 30 points and was named the team's Rookie of the Year. His 26 assists were the most of any Blues blueliner. Bruce would spend three seasons as a regular in the Blues' lineup. However, by the 1977–78 season, he was struggling as he slumped to 18 points and a -56 rating on a St. Louis team which finished with just 20 wins and missed the playoffs. In the 1978–79 season, he lost his spot on the Blues, playing only 26 games and spending most of the season in the Central Hockey League where he was named the league's top defender. For the 1979–80 season, Bruce was traded to the Vancouver Canucks on November 6, 1979 along with Gord Bunyak in exchange for cash. However, he again spent most of the season in the CHL, where he was named the league's top defender. He did play in 5 games for the Canucks, recording an assist. On February 28, 1980, he was traded back to St. Louis along with Gord Buynak in exchange for cash. On September 22, 1980, Bruce signed as a free agent with the New York Islanders for the 1980–81 season, but he did not see a game for the Islanders, although he was named the CHL's top defender for the second consecutive season (this time playing for the Indianapolis Checkers). Bruce would spend the majority of the next two seasons playing in Switzerland, although he returned to Indianapolis for the close of the CHL season and playoffs both years, helping the team to two championships. He returned to Indianapolis full-time for the 1983–84 season and was named the league's top defender for the third time along with MVP honors. He also received a one-game callup to the Islanders, five years after his last NHL action. He retired at the conclusion of the season. Bruce finished his NHL career with 14 goals and 80 points, along with 86 penalty minutes in 280 games. Post-Playng Career Following his career, Bruce returned to St. Louis and would eventually get an off-ice job with the St. Louis Blues' sales staff. He has spent the last two decades working for the Blues in various capacities and currently serves as the team's Vice President of Sales. He also served as a TV analyst for the Blues for over a decade. Career Statistics Accolades Category:1954 births Category:Canadian ice hockey defencemen Category:Canadian ice hockey players Category:California Golden Seals draft picks Category:St. Louis Blues players Category:Vancouver Canucks players Category:New York Islanders players Category:Dallas Black Hawks players Category:Indianapolis Checkers player Category:Springfield Indians players